Deimos
by Darev
Summary: Deimos, a man of incredible power, is gathering an army. Elyon strugggles to hold her kingdom together, and Phobos makes an unlikey ally. Set after the end of season one.
1. Chapter 1

Author: This is my newest attempt at a WITCH story. My previous one "Legion of Shadows" is on hiatus for the time being as now I don't know where I'm going with that story. Sorry for those who enjoyed reading it but I was just at a lost on what to do with it. Here, it's an entirely new story set after the events in season one. I felt having an original bad guy as the antagonest gave me more freedom to write a good story. Anyway, here's the first chapter.

UPDATE: I've fixed all the errors, the one's I've found anyway.

Disclaimer: I don't own WITCH, it's a property of Disney, etc. etc. etc. Enjoy!

* * *

At the edge of a dying world, a band of creatures lay huddled around their campfire doing their very best to stay warm despite the blistering cold. So long has it been since they've seen the sun that many believe it has been swallowed up, never to rise again, making the nights endless and the wind forever howling. Their world is dying and those few remaining struggle to survive amid a barren wasteland. Some ventured underground where it was still warm; others hid within the deepest caves; but those who weren't smart enough or strong enough were stuck on the surface and that was pretty much a death sentence. Once this tribe of creatures numbered in the hundreds, now barely a score were left alive. What food they could find was meek and barely edible, so much so that some even turned to cannibalism. This served only to diminish their ranks even more but no one bothered to stop these fights. When somebody died it meant one less mouth to feed and more food for the group so it balanced out…pretty much. 

Grel gnawed the bones of a small rodent he managed to catch the other day. The taste long gone, he mostly did it out of habit and to fool his stomach into thinking that food was on the way so its rumblings would quiet down. The tactic had worked so far, but Grel would kill for fresh meat right now. He looked around the members of his tribe. Half of them were skin and bones, hardly enough to feed his appetite. One looked moderately well-fed: the female, one expecting a litter of cubs. Her mate died a while back and it was by the grace of her people she had been allowed to live. Desperate times call for desperate measures and Grel began to size her up. How would he cook her? Should she be broiled or fried? Should he kill her first or eat her alive? Decisions, decisions. There weren't that many of them left and eating the females would only doom their tribe to extinction. Still, in this day and age what were children other than major nuisances? They couldn't do anything except whine and eat. They were nothing but a burden on his tribe and their continued existence. They could, however, sustain them for another few weeks. Perhaps he should let her have the cubs, that way there'll be more food to go around. Then he'll kill her.

Grel was still contemplating his future meal when another of his kind slumped to his side. Gandrok, one of their few remaining scouts, whispered into his ear. "Another tribe further north. Too many to fight and well entrenched. We searched for several more hours but were unable to find any food herds. A storm is coming up from the south. If we don't find shelter soon,"

"We'll be dead either way." Grel said spitting out the bones of the unfortunate mammal. "No food, no shelter, no light, it's as if the gods themselves have turned on us."

"What will we do?"

"Die, at this rate." Grel spoke matter of factly as if coming to terms with his fate and that of his tribe. "What else is there?"

Gandrok leaned back and sighed. He too was losing hope for the future. Grel was their leader and if he couldn't figure anything out, as he was the smartest among them, what hope did they have left? He looked around for something to eat but found all the morsels were already gone. His eyes fell on the impregnated female who sat by herself on the other side of the fire. A grin appeared on his face. Funny how great minds think alike.

A scuffle broke out from beside the duo. Two of their tribe had gotten into a fight over something or other and were having it out. The other members cheered them on as should one die it would mean nutrition for everyone else and one less stomach to worry about. With luck, they would beat each other into such a pulp that their peers would simply kill them anyway and have two for one! They rolled along the ground, grabbing, biting and gnawing at one another. The pregnant female seemed relieved as this would mean she would live to see another day. She was hungry too and damn any of these fools who would dare to eat her own children! Damn them, she thought. They were her own cubs and if anyone was going to eat them it would be her!

The fight continued with each combatant losing strength but showing no signs of letting up. Grel watched from the sidelines but didn't root them on or lick his lips. How far his people had fallen. Once they were feared warriors, now they scrounged around like vermin picking up the leftovers from nature. How he hated this age!

The scout leader turned to him. "We eat tonight!"

"Yay for us." Grel said sarcastically. "Now if we could only find a little hole to hide in we'll be in great shape."

"Kill him! Kill him!" Gandrok cried.

It went on like this for several more minutes. Soon the fighters no longer cared over what they argued about. Their mates were hungry and ruthless. Now they were fighting for their very lives for if one should die then he would become dinner. They were exhausted but went on knowing any sign of weakness would mean certain death. The fight was almost over anyway and the tribe closed in around the tired duelists. Grel sighed before picking up his club. As leader he wanted first dibs on the dead loser(s) and made his way over to the crowd. He was about to order them to make way when the sky was illuminated with green thunder. They tribe cried out and fell to their knees. The thunder reverberated all around them and for the first time they actually saw light. It was green, the brightest green they had ever seen. Grel had never seen anything like it and for the moment he was transfixed by the light. It was the most beautiful thing he hadever laid eyes onand take it from someone who had not seen the sun for ages; any light would be absolutely gorgeous!

Some whimpered, others stood in awe, but all soon noticed the presence of a lone figure standing in the distance. It was a tall form draped in black. He was just as tall as the tribe members but much slimmer. He began to walk toward the frightened creatures with arms held wide. "Fear not, for I am here to save you."

"Halt!" Gandrok raised his sword and approached the man. "Who are you?"

"Someone who cares a great deal for the suffering of others. You for instance." He stopped just short of the camp. Many other members pulled out their weapons and joined Gandrok in an intimidating battle line, but the man seemed unafraid. "You are suffering, I can see that. Let me help you. Let me take you to a place where you will never suffer again."

"Who are you?" Gandrok asked again. "Speak now or I'll,"

"Wait." Grel stepped forward. "I speak for this tribe. I demand to know your name stranger."

"Titles! What is a name but what others call you by? My name is not important as I have no real name."

"Then what do we call you?" Grel asked feeling slightly irritated.

"Friend." He said. The lighting hushed but the green glow still filled the sky. The man held up his arm and a small furless hand peeked out. In it appeared a fruit of orange color and he offered it to Grel. "Here. As a token of good faith."

Grel looked to Gandrok who seemed confused and intrigued all at once. Several others eyed the fruit with wagging tongues. What their eyes could not tell them their noses did as they recognized food when the smelled it. Grel wearily approached them man motioning for Gandrok to keep everyone back. He stood before the man and noticed how much smaller he appeared up close. He didn't look threatening at all and Grel was sure he could kill him in one swoop. A piece of fruit and a dead carcass, his curiosity and his hunger sated in one day…

"Take it." The man bade.

The leader took the fruit and looked at it. His stomach growled all the louder when he smelled it. How long had it been since he ate something fresh?

Grel smelled it and once he figured it was the real deal hetook a bite. The surge of flavor and energy almost overwhelmed him. He was no longer hungry, no longer weak! Grel was Grel again, as he had been before the darkness. He was strong! Grel eagerly ate the rest of the fruit leaving his tribemates crying out in protest. Gandrok held them back though he too was a little angry that Grel did not share. The man held up his naked hand again. "See? I mean you well."

"Yes you do." Grel raised his sword to the man's chest. "And now you will take us to where you have more of this fruit so that my people may eat."

"Of course I will. But," he raised his hand and gently pushed the sword aside. Amazingly, Grel did not stop him. "These actions will not be necessary. I come as a friend and will gladly share all that I have with you and your tribe. My home is your home."

_What's the catch?_ Grel stepped back. "And in return for your generosity…" he let the question hang. Grel was no fool, no one was that selfless. He wanted something and the white-furred creature wanted to know what.

"Join my cause. There are others in the same predicament as you. There is a great evil in the universe and I am a part of an alliance that seeks to destroy it once and for all. We are gathering the victims and building an army so that we may crush this foe and see to it that no one suffers ever again."

"Evil? What kind of evil?"

"The most wicked kind. He destroy worlds at his leisure and simplypunishes those different from he. He has brought about this doom upon your world and cursed you to a miserable existence."

The tribe growled. Who was this man who cast their world into shadow and darkness?

"Who?" Grel asked feeling the same contempt as his people. "Who did this to us?"

"An evil man named the Oracle. From his fortress in Kandrakar he sends his minions to spread his wickedness on unsuspecting people. We plan to destroy his home and bring him to justice. There's an alliance of people just like you and we need all the help we can get. Will you join us in our cause? Will you help us stop him?"

"Yes." Said many of the tribe. Even Gandrok was nodding his head. Grel, the wisest, had to think for a moment. "What could we possibly do to one who could blanket an entire world in a shroud of black filth?"

"By yourselves, nothing. But together." The man placed his hand on Grel's shoulder. "Come; let me help you get your revenge. We will destroy the Oracle and bring peace to your world once again. How about it?"

Something about his touch made Grel grow less suspicious and his calculating mind began to become complacent. "Yes. W…we will help you. We will have our revenge." He turned to his tribe. "Revenge!" the others shouted in unison. "Revenge! Revenge! Revenge!" Grel turned to the man. "Please. Give us a name to call you by. Who are you who has returned hope to my people?"

The man pulled back his hood revealing the face of an impossibly handsome young man with dark hair and yellow eyes. "Names are meaningless to me. But if I must have a title among your people then call me Deimos."

"Deimos." Grel said. "Yes. We will help you Deimos."  
"I know you shall." He said. "Now come. Let us leave this cursed place and be among friends." He waved his hand and a portal appeared. It was warm and welcoming and the creatures had no trouble following their mysterious savior into the other side. They left behind a dead world toward a future full of hope.

* * *

Vathek, formerly a rebel spy turned advisor, stepped into the throne room where the queen of Meridian stood pacing back and forth. "Your majesty." The blue-skinned man bowed. "You sent for me?" 

Elyon stopped pacing and turned to Vathek. "Yes, I have. I need your advice."

Vathek smiled. "That is why I'm here."

"Well you see, Cornelia's birthday is in a few days and she was hoping on having a party here in Meridian. I want the entire kingdom to celebrate with us, but there's a problem."

"What is it, my queen?"

The queen stepped up and held his hand making the advisor blush. "You see Cornelia's very choosy about what to wear at her birthday parties and I'm not all up to date on Meridian fashion, so I was hoping you could help me."

Vathek once leaked information to the rebels while he spied on Prince Phobos from within the palace. Passing on information was what he did best, but giving fashion advice to the queen? His queen? A queen not born of this world? He was taken back. "I'm not sure I can,"

"Of course you can. You know all about Meridian and its weird fashion sense. If anyone can help me it's you."

"I will do my best of course." Vathek was very nervous but the teenager's pure bright eyes settled him down. "Good. It's settled. You will help me draw up the plans for the festivities. I'll also need your help in deciding what to eat. The food here is pretty good, but I was thinking on the lines of pizza, punch and a six-foot birthday cake with some of those pretty Meridian flowers on top. What do you think?"

"Pizza? Punch?" Vathek had never heard of them.

"Oh you'll love it. Now about the guest list…oh yeah." She jumped up and flew into the air. "All of Metamoor!"

Vathek watched his queen dance around in the air and found himself looking at the ground despite the wonder above him. Maybe he should have taken a position as a captain of a sea vessel or head of an expeditionary group instead of head advisor. What had he gotten himself into?

The doors swung open a moment later. Aldarn, the queen's captain of the guard, strode in rather urgently. "Excuse me, queen Elyon."

"Aldarn!" the girl landed and skipped over to him. "How've you been?"

The captain coughed nervously. Elyon sure didn't act like a queen. "Well, thank you. I must speak with you on a matter of urgency."

"Like what?" she gasped. "Did those pink flamingos get loose in their stables again?"

"No." Aldarn smiled. "I made sure the caretakers learned their lesson from last time." He became serious. "It has to do with a situation onthe frontier."

"Frontier? We have a frontier?" the queen asked.

"Your domain is vast but even it has limits." Aldarn walked over to the large map where all of Elyon's kingdom could be seen. He pointed to the center, where stood Meridian. "This is us." He said as she walked up beside him. She followed his hand toward the far eastern edge of the map. "A small fishing village has been attacked by a dragon a few days ago. The people have fled into the woods but the creature still hunts them."

"Why would a dragon do such a thing?" Elyon asked.

"Most dragons are kindly creatures but some are evil. This one in particular, Yor, has terrorized the distant lands for centuries. He never ventured into Meridian for fear of Prince Phobos' retaliation but now that he is gone,"

"We must make him fear Queen Elyon." Vathek said.

"I don't want to be feared." Elyon looked between both men. "Can't we reason with the dragon? I'm sure he's just lonely."

"Lonely and hungry." Aldarn said. "If we don't do something soon he eat more than just the fish in the river. Those villagers, your subjects, look to you for help." He let that sink in. "We must help them, your majesty."

The queen lowered her head. "Very well. Dispatch a contingent of soldiers to the village. Have them chase the dragon away and use force only if necessary."

"There's one more issue." Vathek said stepping closer to the map. "The village is very far away. It would take over a week for our soldiers to get there. The villagers may not live that long."

"Oh no." Elyon said. "Those poor people."

"Not to worry." Aldarn said. "I've guessed that would be the case so we won't send soldiers."

"What?" Vathek asked in shock. "But the villagers…how,"

"We send guardians." Aldarn looked at Elyon. "Know any?"

"Do I?" Elyon laughed. "Fight a dragon and save a village, all in a day's work for the Guardians of the Veil."

"I'll send word for them." Aldarn bowed and headed out of the room. Elyon and Vathek looked back at the map and at the distance between the village and Meridian. "They'll make it." She said. "If they can take on my brother then a single dragon will be no problem."

"Don't let Phobos hear you say that." Vathek cautioned.

"I wouldn't worry about Phobos. I've made sure he'll never bother anyone ever again."

* * *

"Elyon." Prince Phobos, former _Prince_ Phobos, whispered the name in the dark. How he hated his sister and everything she stood for. All the power he had ever wanted was in his grasp but just as he tasted ultimate victory it was stolen from him by five girls and a bright-eyed younger sibling who he never wanted. He would say her name over and over again as if to give his hatred something to focus on. Being caged and in the dark left him with little else to do. He was now a prisoner with no way out. He had been defeated soundly and totally. He was nothing. Just a shadow of his former self. 

"Elyon."

"She can't hear you prince." A rasp feminine voice Phobos had come to know all too well said. "She is where you can't harm her."

"Shut up…" Phobos said though his voice had become weak and sore.

"Hate me all you want. Hate your sister and the world but that won't change anything. You are a failure as a ruler and a tyrant. You don't even make a good prisoner. Look me in the face when you threaten me."

Phobos complied and found himself staring into the scarred face of the Mage, the enigmatic woman who knew things that no one else did. She was his detainer and that made her almost as bad as Elyon…almost. "Go away!" he growled. "Leave me alone!"

"That's right. Be angry and scornful. It's all you will ever do in here. I've seen kings rise and fall but you are by far the worse excuse for a monarch I have ever met. Prince Phobos, not even a king in name, you are pathetic!"

"Be gone, wretched hag!" he actually stood up on that one. The Mage smirked at his attempt to scare her away. She was much taller than he and in his current state far more powerful. Yet, something about the disposed prince intrigued her. There was potential in him yet, be he good or evil. She waved her hand making the gate to his cage slide open. "Come, there is much to be done." She turned and walked away. Phobos didn't move at first thinking this some kind of trick. "I will not say it again!" she said from the darkness. Phobos slowly exited the cage and stepped onto the dungeon floor. Feeling something other than grating metal beneath his feet was exhilarating but he was still suspicious. All around him pairs of glowing eyes watched as he followed the Mage. One pair in particular, two small glowing yellow eyes watched his former master drag his feet toward the exit. Cedric, now a minor reptile, cowered in his cage.

Phobos followed the Mage down a deep hall. Something about her actions said he was important to her for some reason. Otherwise why would she let out Meridian's worst criminal? His once fine robes were now rags and his long white mane was dirty and messy. He was weak in the knees from not using them for so long but managed to hold himself straight as the Mage led him into a large room. It was well lit and Phobos had to blink from the brightness. "I have a job for you."

"What could you possibly need me for?" Phobos squinted trying to adjust to the room.

"You're a well-read man are you not?" She motioned to the great stone table in the middle of the room. "Look there."

"Why?"

"Look!" she ordered. Phobos wearily made his way to the desk to find an open book waiting for him. "Is this supposed to mean something." He began to lose his patience. Suddenly a part of him wanted to be back in his prison rather than with this hideous woman. The Mage stood beside him, many feet taller, and more imposing. "Read. I think you'll find it interesting."

Phobos managed to focus his vision and read the passage of the book. It didn't take long for his eyes to widen with each passing sentence. "It can't be…this is,"

"Now you see why I brought you here."

He looked up at her, having to lean back to do so. "But why do you need me? How could you? This is one of the greatest secrets in all of Meridian history. Even I thought it a myth."

"Until now?"

"Yes." Phobos returned to the book. "Until now."

"Phobos, how would you like to stretch your legs a bit?" the question caught the prisoner off guard. "What?"

"An alliance of sorts. I cannot leave the Infinite City, you desire your freedom."

"And revenge."

"One thing at a time." She pointed to the book. "Take this book with you. If you succeed I can give you your freedom."

"Why? Why would you help me?"

"It's not out of the kindness of my heart that I do this, Phobos. Rather there are certain forces at work and I am too preoccupied at the moment to deal with them. Queen Elyon would not like what I am planning and I require the aid of a member of the royal family to accomplish this task. If you help me, I can give you your freedom. What you do with it is entirely your business."

Phobos began to think. She was up to something and he knew it. This was an incredible revelation and for her to share it with him of all people. Phobos smiled. "Very well. My help in exchange for my freedom. On your word."

"On my word."

"Deal." He picked up the book, closed it, and then stepped back to stare her in the face. "But I'll need a little help. You wouldn't mind letting out two prisoners today would you?"


	2. Chapter 2

Author: Well here's chapter two. The girls aren't in it yet but they will be in part three. I'm doing my best to set things up for big battles so hang tight. It'll happen. Enjoy!

* * *

Yor spewed his hatred upon the landscape below igniting trees and sending an ancient forest up in flames. The night was lit up with the glow of a thousand fires as what was once a peaceful countryside now lay in ruin. The great dragon was unrelenting in his sadistic rage and showed no discrimination when it came to who would die tonight. He hated humans, always had, but he killed scores of other species that very night. Even the wildlife animals were not spared as many of them were engulfed in flames before they even realized death lingered above. Such was the skill of a dragon. Despite their great size they were masterful in the art of stealth. Yor was especially gifted with this ability as it was one he perfected over the centuries. He had laid waste to many lands beyond the realm of Prince Phobos and was feared and hated by many. The time came when there was nothing left to kill, and worse yet nothing left to eat, forcing the great dragon to seek nourishment and entertainment elsewhere. Something had happened in the kingdom of Meridian. Yor, sensitive to magical energies, no longer sensed Prince Phobos and he took it to heart that the foolish human had been dethroned. With Phobos out of the way Yor took it upon himself to gorge his appetite and pleasures and he got plenty of both tonight.

How they ran and screamed….and died. Yor could not remember when he beheld such a beautiful sight. Their cries of agony were like music to his massive ears. Most enjoyable was the children. Oh, what sweet, sweet melodious wails of pure terror. It thrilled him to no end.

The smoke filled the air with the ashes of the dead. Satisfied-for the moment that is-the wicked dragon pierced the pitch-black clouds and into the moonlight. He was god! Whether on the earth or above it, he was a being of raw power and magnificence. Yor let out a roar of pure joy as he swirled above the black clouds and then made his way home. The mountain range was vast, almost unnavigable and completely closed off to intruders. It was the perfect place to roost, Yor thought. He spotted his home from a mile up; dragons have really sharp eyes, before beginning his descent. His cave sat atop a great peak overlooking the landscape. Yor landed very quietly for one of his size and folded his wings as he entered. Inside the cave opened up into a great cavern big enough to house a clan of dragons. Yor never did like sharing, however, which made him quite a problem hatchling for his mother and siblings. She tried to teach him to be thoughtful to his kin, but Yor was bad from day one. Honor and Friendship! Get Real! It was the strong who survived. Mother tried to be loving, even tried to understand his anger, but she was an old dragon who had long passed her glory days. How she wasted her energies protecting her children against an enraged dragon was beyond him. She died of course along with her young ones and the other dragon had his meal. They tasted so good, Yor remembered. Poor mum. If only she knew her eldest son would eventually grow up to kill her.

Chuckling at the memory, Yor made his way to a pool that was fed by a small waterfall at the back of the cavern. He drank his fill, making sure to wipe the blood from his fangs, before making himself comfortable upon a bed of bones. They weren't human bones but rather the remains of various monsters he slew during the years. It was ironic but his constant battles with other monsters allowed the villages along the frontier to flourish. With so few monsters to harass them, the innocent people down below owed their thanks to Yor. Well he was calling his tab and it was time to pay up. He rolled onto his back while dreaming of the many sick pleasures he would have when he left his cave again.

"Having fun?" a familiar voice asked.

"I was wondering when you were going to come out of the shadows." Yor spoke. His voice was loud but articulate and his pronunciation of the mortal tongue very clear. "I smelled you even before I landed. Come on out, you have no reason to hide from me. We are friends."

The originator of the voice walked out of the shadows. It was a humanoid creature wearing red robes that were tattered yet showed hints of royalty. He held a staff in one hand and used it for support wherever he walked. "Friends? I never thought I'd hear those words coming from you."

"Call us allies if you wish. Just be satisfied in the knowledge that I won't eat you anytime soon." Yor picked a carcass out of his teeth. "I didn't expect to see you for some time. I take it our benefactor is pleased with our results?"

"The fact that I'm here talking to you is proof enough. We are very valuable to him and his operations in Meridian. So long as we remain valuable we can rest assured that he will keep his part of the bargain." The man's voice was deep but slightly hoarse. He seemed to gasp for breath every once in a while and made a bit of effort to stand tall. He grabbed his chest every once in a while as if to keep it from plopping onto the floor. Yor watched his with some amusement. Trying to act strong when you were weak was something every evildoer knew could mean the difference between life or death and this man did not hide it well at all. Yet, there was something about him that intrigued Yor to the point where he couldn't bring himself to kill him. He had seen the frail man wield magics the likes of which the dragon had never seen and was impressed. Yor was strong but even he realized the wisdom in having an ally here and there. Besides, they both had a common goal and if their alliance with their benefactor went well then the two of them could very well become the masters of this world. Until Yor ate him at least. Remember, he didn't like sharing.

"So what did our illustrious benefactor tell you if I may ask?"

"He says the queen has been alerted to your actions and is sending a force capable of stopping you."

Yor's serpent-like head raised above the ground. "Force? What could that insignificant brat send that could possibly defeat me? I've devastated entire armies in the blink of an eye and destroyed entire kingdoms. Let her send her soldiers. I will tear them to shreds and burn their bones to ashes."

"It is not an army she sends but rather five young girls to be your undoing."

"Five girls? Are they to tickle me to death? Put flowers on my head and dance around in song until I die of boredom? Surely you can't be serious?"

"These girls are no mere mortals, Yor. They are the Guardians of the Veil."

Yor rolled to his stomach. "Ah! Yes! Now there's a challenge. I haven't fought against the guardians in eons. They are worthy opponents."

"And dangerous if I might add. It was they who brought about the downfall of Prince Phobos."

"All the better. Victory is much sweeter when defeating strong enemies. I will clip their wings and eat them one piece at a time. I will keep the Heart of Kandrakar as a souvenir and use it to transport myself into the heart of the queen's bed chambers where I will gobble her up slowly. Royalty is so delicious." Yor licked his lips. The robed man coughed and grabbed his staff for support. The dragon eyed him. "Something wrong? You don't look so well." he really didn't care for the man's health but it was sort of a teasing remark that he asked the question. "Growing old are we?"

"Don't be absurd. Traveling between dimensions takes its toll on the body. I am simply tired afterall."

"Tired. Bah! Mortals are so frail. Rest here if you wish but don't get too comfortable. If what you say is true then the Guardians of the Veil will be here shortly and that means we'll have a fight on our talons."

"A fight which I'm sure you'll win."

Yor noticed the change in words. "You will not partake in the battle? Pity. Though I guess you wouldn't be much help with that bad back of yours."

The man stood even straighter. "I am fine." He lied.

"As you say." Yor laid to one side. "I'm going to rest a while. When the guardians do come I want to be ready and waiting." He raised his head. "How long do you think they will be exactly?"

"Hard to say. They can travel through portals same as I though not as accurately I'm proud to say." Yor looked at him with a questioning stare. "In other words," the man began. "Don't expect them to just appear in the middle of this cave. You may sleep in peace. I will warn you when they are arriving."

"Ah good." Yor laid his head back down. "If you intend to stay I suggest you don't walk near me. I tend to snap out at things in my sleep."

"Good to know." The man said. "Until next time." He turned to leave when Yor called out to him. "And tell our guests," he opened one eye. "That if I ever catch them spying on us again that I will make them permanent residents of my cave as their bones will become part of my bed."

The man sensed the intruders as well but kept silent. He felt them shuffle uneasily at Yor's threat before scurrying off into the shadows. "I think they get the message."

"He does not trust us." Yor said.

"Nor we him." The man said. "Though I'm sure our spy is doing a better job at staying hidden then his are."

"Two steps ahead." Yor closed the eye. "That's how to survive this game. Stay two steps ahead." Yor breathed loudly before falling into a deep sleep. The man chuckled to himself as he walked into the darkness. The dragon was right of course. They would need to stay two steps ahead of their benefactor if they wanted to survive. The man may have been lame but he was no fool. He was smart. Any genius knew how to stay two steps ahead. Only a brilliant one like he would stay three…

* * *

The two spies scurried back to their master who was waiting for them in an alternate dimension. They found her sitting alone atop a large rock gazing up at the stars with constellations people on Earth had never even seen. Speaking of Earth, she could have passed for someone from that world. She was a young woman, pale-skinned with hair as white as the purest snow. Her hair was short and fell no farther down than her ears. The orbs that made up her eyes were the palest blue and seemed to shimmer whenever she looked intently on something. She wore elegant white clothing that resembled that of nobility. An aura of light seemed to envelope her at all times adding to her already angelic image. All she needed was wings and a harp. 

The spies rushed up to their leader, to the base of the rock anyway, and fell to their knees. "Mistress, we bring word of the cohorts, yes!"

The Mistress didn't bother looking at the rodent-like creatures as she was too transfixed with the beautiful tapestry above her. She sat with both legs dangling over the edge and waved them in little girl fashion. "So pretty."

"Mistress." One of the two spoke again. "We bring word of,"

"I wonder which one he's on now." She spoke to herself.

The rodents looked at one another as neither understood her behavior. They were simple creatures, good for taking orders and carrying them out and little else. The concepts of greater thought were lost on all but the smartest of their race and that wasn't saying much. They muttered something in their guttural language when the young woman regarded them without taking her eyes off the heavens. "My ears are just fine, if you must know."

The rodents gasped. They forgot their mistress could understand them. "Now your report." She said still not looking away from the stars.

"Yes! The wizard had just alerted the dragon about the coming of the guardians and the beast sleeps to recover his strength for the coming battle." The first one spoke with the second chiming in a moment after he finished. "The dragon laid waste to the entire countryside, many dead, yes! He relishes each and every kill."

The woman shook her head. "Savage." She spared a quick look at the rodents, her eyes causing them to shudder in fear rather than awe of their beauty. "And what of the wizard? Has he said or done anything that may prove himself disloyal to our master?"

"Wizard is very mysterious, yes! Hard to tell what that one thinks. He comes and goes all the time and never reveals too much, yes!"

"So you have no idea."

"Yes!" the rodents said in unison.

The woman sighed. "That one's gonna be trouble. The dragon we can handle but wizards are a tricky lot. He's up to something I'm sure of it. We must keep an eye on that one." the statement made the creatures shuffle uncomfortably. She noticed the worried gleam in their and the way they covered their heads with their taloned hands. These creatures, whom she detested and only tolerated, were well known for their cowardness yet their sneaking skills had earned them a reputation as spies. They were rarely caught, if ever, and could stay hidden in places for days at a time. She had used them on several occasions to spy on others her leader deemed must be watched and despite her distaste for them she had to admit they were good at what they did. They usually obeyed her without question or remark but something about their stance told her they didn't like what she said. What were they hiding? "You do not agree?"

The rats grumbled in their own tongue. "Answer me!" she commanded forcing them to step back in fear. While this woman seemed young and innocent she wielded a terrible power that would give even Yor something to think about before getting on her bad side. The rats kept their heads bowed as they spoke. "They have found us out." one said.

"They knew we were there, yes!" said the second.

"You were discovered?" she asked a bit surprised. "By the wizard or the dragon?"

"Both, yes!"

She thought a moment. "The wizard, I'm not surprised, but the dragon…looks like Yor is more competent than we gave him credit for."

"He eat us if we return, yes!"

"And we are scared with what wizard will do, yes!"

"Yes." The woman said. She stood up on the rock making her all the more imposing to the little creatures. "Return home and speak of this to no one. Unless our master calls on you do not leave your holes. Until I return you answer only to him, understand?"

"Yes!" the creatures hurried away as fast as they could totally relieved that they were going home. They missed their little holes and wanted nothing more than to be inside their protective walls. The woman watched them go while thinking to herself. "Well I guess I'd better get going. There are other things to do before the great war begins." She flew up into the sky and into a portal that she made appear using her own power. The vortex was one of pure light, much different than the ones used by the guardians. She smiled. "I wonder how your doing on your own mission, brother."

* * *

It was raining by the time he had arrived. The sky had opened up and thunder loomed in the distance. The pedestrians rushed to and fro seeking shelter and the quickest way back to their dwellings. This was not a night to be outside and other than the unfortunate few who were forced to stay out by duty everyone else ran indoors. He was not bothered by the rain; he rather liked it, and strolled down casually along the near empty street. He wore a dark sweater with the hood pulled over to shield his face from prying eyes. His hands were safe in his jean pockets and his foots made almost no sound as they pattered on the puddles. Most didn't spare him a glance; he was just a young man out on a walk. Had they just looked more closely they may having noticed something otherworldly about him. For starters, how many young men had glowing eyes? 

They weren't especially bright but bright enough to let anyone know that he wasn't exactly from around here. His eyes darted back and forth scanning the entire area. He took special interest in the metallic vehicles the natives of this world used to travel in their own city. They were loud, bothersome things but rather convenient he must say. The people of this place used machines for just about everything in their daily lives and he wondered if there was ever a time when they survived without them. He had spent a great deal of time on this world almost completely ignored by the general population. It was all good as he didn't want to attract attention to himself. He wasn't in his element here and yet he blended in seamlessly. Had his sister been assigned here then she would have raised havoc simply to kill the boredom. That was how they were different. She was the warrior, he the infiltrator. They were two sides of the same coin, joined by blood but different in every other aspect. Other than the undying loyalty they showed their leader, they were two completely different people. He wondered how she fared on her errands.

The youth stopped on a street to get his bearings. That which he sought was nearby; he could feel the intense magical energy even from here. His body tingled with sensation at the aura of power. It paled in comparison to his master and yet it was strong nonetheless. It excited him to no end as the light gave him the go ahead to cross and he began to walk a little faster. The man continued his trek until he had reached another street where he was forced to stop by the light. Looking up, he smiled when he saw the place he had been looking for all this time. The Silver Dragon, what an odd name. Who knew these people worshipped such creatures?

His eyes narrowed and he felt his target just ahead. This was it; he had found it at last. The light changed and he made his way across the street toward the Silver Dragon, toward the one thing he desired above all else.


	3. Chapter 3

Will Vandom had just finished eating dinner when the door opened. A dark figure stepped in wearing a dark, leathery sweater with matching jeans that were so soaked that they glistened beneath the restaurant lights. The figure let the door close behind him before scanning the room. There were a few tenants within the Silver Dragon at this hour and none of them paid the visitor any mind even though he just stood there looking at each and every one of them. Eventually, his hidden gaze fell upon Will who found herself embarrassed for staring at the guy in the first place. Though she couldn't see his eyes she could still feel them upon her, watching her from way across the room. Her throat became dry and a strange feeling of insecurity overcame her. Suddenly being in such a familiar place surrounded by her best friends didn't seem so safe anymore. Who was this guy and why was he looking at her? For that matter, why was she looking at him? They stared at one another for what seemed like ages until someone placed a hand on her shoulder. "Will?"

The red-haired girl turned to Taranee who looked at her skeptically. "Are you okay?"

"That guy." She began. "He's looking at me."

"What guy?" Taranee asked looking over her.

"Him." She turned to where the man was standing but found he had disappeared. "Where'd he go?" she found her answer when she spotted him sitting at a table at the far end of the room. He sat with his hood still pulled over his head while he folded his hands neatly on the table. "There he is?"

"Who is he?" Taranee asked her.

"No idea. He just came in a few seconds ago and just stared at me."

"Sounds like you've got an admirer."

"Taranee!" Will turned to her. "He's a complete stranger. I've never even met the guy."

"That makes it all the more interesting." She said fixing her glasses as she studied the man. "Wonder who he is? Think he's our age?"

"And what if he is? He's creeping me out." Will spared the guy another glance. He was still watching her. "I wish he would read a menu or something." No sooner had she said this when a waiter appeared at his table and placed a menu and a cup of water before him. He nodded to the servant before taking the cup in his hands and having a drink. Pulling his head back, the girls were able to get a better view of his hidden face. His eyes seemed to shine right back at them.

"Freaky." Taranee said. "Could be contacts."

"I'm not so sure."

"Irma!" the all too familiar cry of Cornelia Hale said. "That last dumpling was mine!"

"Snooze you loose, babe." Irma Lair said placing the dumpling in her mouth and chewing slowly before the aggravated blonde. "Mm. Delicious."

"You are such a jerk!" Cornelia growled back.

"But a fed jerk." Irma swallowed and gently cleaned her mouth with a napkin. "And how was your meal tonight, Ms. Hale?"

"Oh shut up!" Cornelia turned away from Irma and crossed both arms and legs. Her usual "I'm mad" pose was well known to the group and most people knew better than to approach her when she was like this. But the girls weren't most people. These girls: Will, Irma, Taranee, Cornelia and Hay Lin were the Guardians of the Veil. They had defeated the evil Prince Phobos back on Meridian and restored their friend Elyon, the rightful heir, to the throne. That had been three weeks ago this day. Meridian was prosperous, Earth was safe and the five best friends were together enjoying a meal at the Lin family restaurant. Irma and Cornelia, who argued often, were in fact very close though neither of them would admit it-especially Cornelia. The blonde was just too proud and her ego was such that it could power a hundred Hearts of Kandrakar. Will kept the secret item wrapped around her neck at all times though for the pass few days she questioned herself as to why. The danger was over and there were no more bad guys to fight. So why carry it around?

"Boy those noodles were good, weren't they?" Hay Lin leaned back and patted her bloated stomach. "Fit for a queen."

"Or a guardian." Irma added. "Too bad they don't have food like this in Meridian."

"You said it. Their entrees really bite." Hay Lin said.

"Literally." Irma smiled. "Last thing I ate tried to eat me back."

"I'll tell Elyon you said that." Cornelia told them. "See if she invites you back to her world anytime soon."

"Oh please don't. I really like those festivals they have with the medieval music, the bizarre costumes,"

"The smell of manure everywhere." Irma said before Hay Lin could finish. "Honestly with all the power their queen has you'd think Meridian would have a spotless sanitation record."

"Elyon is a great queen!" Corny stood up and slammed her hands on the table. Her blue eyes glared at the brunette. "I don't ever want to hear you criticizing her again, do you hear me?"

"Whoa, settle down there, Blondezilla. You're scaring the customers." Indeed some of the patrons turned towards the group's table where Cornelia seemed ready to leap over it and pummel her smirking companion. Hay Lin motioned for her to settle down before she did something that she, and Hay Lin herself, would regret. "Come on, guys. Not here. My parents will ground me if you two got into a fight. Everything you do reflects on me."

"Great!" Irma said. "So between Corny and me that means you've got a great sense of humor and anger management issues. Sounds even to me."

Had Hay Lin not interjected, Cornelia would have throttled Irma right then and there. Showing surprising strength for her size, Hay Lin managed to get Cornelia back into her seat and muttered something that only she could hear. It seemed to do the trick as Cornelia did indeed relax a bit though her murderous gaze still fell upon the cocky Irma. She blinked at her which made Cornelia's hidden fires burn even more but she managed to keep it under control and turned away. Hay Lin sat next to her closest friend. "Why do you always provoke her?"

"Can I help it if her buttons are so easy to push?"

"But you go too far sometimes, Irma." Hay Lin touched her shoulder. "Sometimes I think you really don't like Cornelia."

"Of course I do. She gives me great material!"  
"Irma!"

"Alright, I'm sorry. But someone's gotta take that girl down a notch once in a while. She's all high and mighty so someone needs to remind her that she's no better than the rest of us."

"But why do you have to be the one to do it?" Hay Lin asked.

"Simple. Because you're too nice, Will's too bossy and Taranee's logic is so profound that no one knows what she's talking about half the time. Therefore, that leaves me to fill in the position of putting Cornelia in her place."

"Maybe someone should put you in your place." Hay Lin said more harshly than she meant to. Irma's face turned to one of hurt at her friend's comment. She turned her gaze down and stared at the table. "I think you just did."

"Oh….Irma…I'm sorry, I mean," Hay Lin seemed ready to pout.

"It's alright." The smile returned to her face. "Sometimes I do step out of line. That's why I have you to remind me where I belong."

"Where do you belong?"

"Right here!" she exclaimed. "With my four best friends." Her remark made Hay Lin laugh. It seemed she was the only one that truly understood Irma and was just about the only person in the group, in Heatherfield, on Earth that found her jokes funny. She and Marvin that is and Irma couldn't stand him. Too bad though, cause he sure had the hots for her.

"Why does that guy keep looking at us?" Cornelia said when she finally noticed the lone stranger at his distant table.

"He's looking at Will." Taranee said.

"Secret admirer?" Irma asked. "Will, you sly dog."

"I don't know him, Irma." Will grumbled.

"But he seems to know you." Hay Lin said. "I don't think he's looked at anyone else since he got here."

"You noticed?" Taranee asked her.

"It is my family's restaurant. I make it a point to watch everyone that comes in here."

"Is he a regular customer?" Cornelia asked while eyeing the stranger.

"Never seen him before." She admitted. "And I think I'd remember a guy with glowing eyes."

"He has glowing eyes?" Irma stood up and strained her eyes to see. "Can't see them. What color are they?"

"White I think." Will turned away from the man again. "He's starting to creep me out."

"So tell him to stop." Cornelia said. "That is unless you like mysterious guys checking you out."

"Corny!" Will lowered her voice quickly. "I'm with Matt now."

"And I'm with Caleb. That doesn't mean a guy can't enjoy a peek now and then."

"It's what he wants to peek that I wanna know." Irma sat back down. "Go talk to him Will."

"Me? I don't talk to strangers."

"A stranger's just a friend you haven't met." Irma quoted.

"And he could be cute underneath that hood." Hay Lin said.

"You're thirteen now, Will. You're old enough to stand up for yourself. If you don't like this guy looking at you then just go over there and tell him to knock it off." Cornelia looked at her. "Or do you want me to do it for you?"

"I'm not sure that's wise." Taranee began but Cornelia was up and walking before she could finish. "He could be dangerous."

"I am dangerous." Corny said while walking over to the man with utmost confidence.

"See what I mean?" Irma leaned in toward Hay Lin. The Chinese girl sighed.

They watched as their friend stopped before the table where the man was sitting. She placed her hands on her hips and spoke as if scolding a rude child. "Hey, buddy." The man didn't look up. "I've noticed you staring at my friend over there and she doesn't take kindly to weirdoes watching her while she eats. I don't care what perverted things you're thinking about right now but we'd appreciate it if you'd turned your attention elsewhere. How about your menu, huh? Look at that. I recommend the Peking duck with mango sauce. Oh and just for your information," she leaned in. "She's taken already."

The man didn't seem perturbed by Cornelia in the least. Instead he just sipped his water and continued to look in the direction of Will's table despite Corny being in the way. "Hey, did you hear me?" Cornelia snapped her finger before him. "Knock it off! Don't you have a girlfriend or something? She's too young for you anyway." Again no reaction. "I'm talking to you." She placed both hands on the table and tried to look as intimidating as possible. "Knock…it…off." she warned. "What, you don't speak English? Are you deaf? Or are you just comfortable with being an a…" the eyes came up and suddenly the blonde found her voice caught in her throat. All the blood in her body ran cold as the soulless eyes of a demon burned into her soul. She tried to move but found her body unwilling to participate. This stranger had her in his mental grasp and there was nothing she could do about it.

Back at the table the girls watched unknowing that their friend was in dire straits. "Is she talking to him?" Taranee asked.

"No, she stopped." Hay Lin said. Being the air guardian gave her sharper ears than the others and she learned to harness that gift even in her normal form. "I think…I think something's wrong."

Will felt something warm beneath her shirt. She pulled out the Heart of Kandrakar which was reacting strangely. She had never seen the Heart act so…frightened.

The stranger felt the magical item's warmth and released Cornelia from his hold. She collapsed, almost falling to the floor, but managed to grab the table and keep herself up. His eyes flashed when he saw the Heart in Will's hands. _There you are._

As Cornelia gasped for breath he stood up and walked towards the lavatory. The girls followed him until he disappeared into the men's room and quickly turned toward Cornelia. Surprisingly, the blonde was halfway back to their table when they looked back. She collapsed into her chair seemingly fatigued beyond measure. "Cornelia, what happened?" Will asked still gripping the Heart.

"That…guy...is…not…human…" she spoke between gasps.

"Well what is he then?" Irma asked.

"Dangerous." The blue-eyed girl grabbed the nearest cup of water and drank it in one gulp. Of course this made her gasp more but she didn't care. She never wanted to be near that guy again.

"You don't think he's from Meridian, do you?" Hay Lin asked.

"You mean Phobos?" Irma said.

Taranee shook her head. "Can't be. Phobos is being held prisoner by the Mage herself. There's no way he could be starting up trouble now."

"Could it be some lackey out for revenge?" Will asked Taranee.

"No lackey of Phobos is that powerful." Cornelia said regaining some of her strength. "That I can tell you."

"Whoever he is, the Heart doesn't like him." Will held up the item for all to see. It flashed several times before holding a steady reddish-pink color. Will grimaced at the though of evil being so close to home. Wasn't the fighting over? Had they not done their duty as Guardians of the Veil? Couldn't evil just leave them alone to have a normal life? Apparently not. "We have to investigate."

"Pixie time?" Irma asked with a smile. In truth, she had missed the fight and wanted so anxiously to wield the power of the elements once again.

"Let's go Guardians." They all stood up and left the table.

* * *

"I've found it." The hooded stranger said to the image in the mirror. Though the image was not his but rather that of another mysterious figure who was communicating with him from another dimension. "They are five young girls, indistinguishable from the populace. They can be beaten easily enough in their normal form though I've yet to see them use their true power."

"I advise caution." The hidden face said. "The guardians are powerful as a group and you are alone. I'm surprised you let them spot you."

"I was called by the Heart. It drew me to it before I even realized it. It's power is unlike anything I have ever tasted."

"Do not let your appetite get the better of you. Stay focused and keep to the shadows; they're your only ally. Should you be forced to fight then remember what I gave you. Use it should things get out of hand."

"Understood." The young man patted his upper left pocket as the item his master spoke about was hidden within. "Should the situation call for it, I'll be ready."

"Good." The face said. "Now go. If they suspect you then rest assured they'll be coming. Prepare the battlefield."

"As you command." The face disappeared leaving the man alone in the restroom. Now looking into his own image he smiled at the reflection. "Time to go to work."

* * *

Deimos chuckled as he sat back in his chair, a sturdy piece of furniture made of black granite. He crossed his legs as the orb before him changed pictures once again. How he loved watching things unfold around him. While there was still time for something to go wrong, there was always time for something to go wrong, things had gone smoothly. His agents were performed splendidly and as each piece of the plan fell into place he came that much closer to achieving his goal. Deimos lifted his hand and a cup of rare wine appeared between his fingers. He sniffed the wine, sampled it, then drank it all in one swoop. The empty glass magically refilled as soon as he was done drinking it. The finer things in life, he swooned.

The magical being watched the image change again. Ah, what do we have here? He found spies to be most annoying, that it unless they were working for him. The spy made his way through a darkened tunnel after skipping pass another patrol. He seemed confident in his skill to avoid capture and wasted no time in moving through the tunnel at remarkable speed. He was rather agile, Deimos thought, almost catlike. Not that it mattered. He mentally sent a message to his guards about the location of the spy and where to cut him off. They would have him shortly.

The image changed once more. Deimos eyed each picture with interest though one in particular almost made him spill his drink. "No, it can't be." He said suddenly smiling. "Well things just got more interesting." He sent another mental message, this time to someone a bit more capable than guards. _I've got another job for you. Oh yes! I think you'll really like this one…_


	4. Chapter 4

The girls made their way up to Hay Lin's room where, after checking to make sure the coast was clear, she closed the door behind them. "Damn, Hay Lin, when's the last time you cleaned up this place?" Irma asked seeing the devastated condition her room was in.

Blushing, the Chinese girl apologized for the mess. "Sorry. It's just that with all my outdoor activities I haven't been home much."

"It's not so bad." Taranee told her.

"She's right?" Irma said. "Have you seen Will's room?" Only four girls laughed.

Will sneered in her direction but decided against a retort and instead strode into the center of the room. "Okay, guys, focus!" she turned around. "We have a bad guy downstairs and we need to find out who he is and what he's up to."

"Not to mention who he works for." Taranee added.

"If a guy that evil is working for someone else," Cornelia began but paused with a shudder. When she spoke again there was a look of sincere fear in her eyes. "I never want to meet him." A friendly hand touched her shoulder soothingly. Hay Lin tried to console her but Cornelia's previous experience with that man left her too horrified for any kind words or bright smiles to alleviate. She just gave Hay Lin a blank stare while she rubbed her arms which suddenly felt very cold.

Will pulled out the Heart from her shirt. The light flickered violently like a candle struggling to stay lit in a hurricane wind. "That's weird." Irma began. "Did you check the batteries on that thing lately?"

"Enough with the jokes, Irma!" Corny scolded. Irma would have said something else but the look on the blonde's face stopped her cold. "This isn't funny. That guy nearly killed me with his mind, who knows what kind of power he can wield when he gets serious. For all we know he could be the one that's making the Heart of Kandrakar act like this."

"He'd need to be pretty powerful indeed." Taranee studied the Heart as a doctor would a sick patient. She touched it and for a moment the Heart returned to its original radiance, but only for a moment. The light shuddered once again. "Hmm." The dark-haired girl scratched her chin.

"What is it?" Will asked knowing the look Taranee gets when she's formulating a hypothesis.

"Well it's just a hunch, but it could be all the negative energy the Heart's feeling that's making it flicker like that. Notice when I touch it," she did so again and for another moment it shone brilliantly. "How it reacts to my positive energy. Perhaps that guy's aura is so dark that it's overpowering the Heart."

"His dark aura?" Will asked.

"Yin and Yang." Hay Lin started. "An equal and an opposite."

"That would be my guess, Hay Lin." Taranee cleaned her glasses with a handkerchief.

There was a moment of silence which, unsurprisingly, Ms. Lair broke. "So what's the plan of attack? Do we go in wings blazing or take him out covert style?"

"Covert." Taranee put her glasses back on. "I suggest we set a trap to capture him."

"Agreed." Will nodded to each of them. "What do you think, Cornelia?"

"I say let's kick his ass." She spoke with fierce determination. Her remark brought a smile to everyone. The girls gathered around Will who raised the Heart. "Guardians Unite!"

The whole room was filled with a light as bright as the sun. The five ordinary girls shed their mundane personas for ones that were not of this world. As their clothes melted away they took on a new form with powers and abilities far beyond those of human beings. They each became the representation of nature, a power that knows no bounds. Will was the first to emerge from the light followed by her four best friends and the Guardians of the Veil were back again.

"The Heart!"

"Water!"

"Fire!"

"Earth!"

"Air!"

The girls spoke their elements aloud and the transformation was complete. Little did they know that Mrs. Lin was making her way upstairs at the moment when she saw strange lights coming from her daughter's room. "Hay Lin?" she approached the door and listened in. "Oh! I love this body!" she heard Irma's voice saying.

"I am hot!" Taranee said before Mrs. Lin heard a strange crackling sound.

"Ow! Taranee, watch where you're pointing that thing! You almost burned me!" Will cried.

"Man I feel tight." Cornelia said. "Have these things gotten bigger or has the suit shrunk?"

"Corny, don't touch yourself there." The voice of her daughter said.

"What? They are mine."

"Now that you mention it." Taranee began. "It does feel kind of tight now. Will, could you loosen me up a bit?"

"Fine. But just don't poke that thing at me anymore, okay?"

_What the hell were they doing in there?_

"Hay Lin!" her mother knocked on the door. "Hay Lin, open this door right now."

"Crap!" Irma cried.

"Will, do something!" Hay Lin cried.

Will muttered something and there was a flash of light. This time Mrs. Lin opened the door to find all five girls sitting around her daughter's room with big smiles on their faces. "Yes, mommy?" her little girl asked.

"What was that flash of light?" she asked looking around the room. Her gaze fell on Hay Lin. "And just what are you five doing up here?"

They stared at her absently. Hay Lin, realizing she was the center of her mother's attention, shrugged her shoulders. "Just playing."

"Playing what?"

"A game?"

"What kind of game?"

"The one where you have fun."

Mrs. Lin crinkled her nose. "Hay Lin…"

"I love you mommy!" Hay Lin rushed in to give her mother a hug. "We love you mommy!" all the other girls did the same thing nearly tackling Mrs. Lin to the ground. The woman was so confused that for the next few minutes she didn't say or do anything at all.

* * *

Outside, the five guardians were standing, or rather floating, in the rain. Being able to control water, Irma redirected the raindrops so that they fell to the side rather than on top of them. They had just barely escaped through the window and had time to shut it before Hay Lin's mom stepped in. "Man that was close." Taranee said.

"To think she almost caught us." Hay Lin said. "I hope our astral drops don't do anything to make her suspicious."

"Hay Lin, knowing those things they're probably spilling every little dirty secret we know." Irma told her. She blushed at the thought.

"So long as they keep her busy." Will looked down. "Let's go." the guardians descended to the alley beside the Silver Dragon. There they found a window that led into the men's restroom. Irma went up to take a peak followed closely by Hay Lin. "Oh. I feel so dirty." She said.

"Maybe because we're in an alley, Hay Lin." Irma strained to see through the rain-soaked window. She was able to make out the interior of the restroom but found that it was completely unoccupied. "Hm. Nobody home."

"But where could he have gone?" Hay Lin asked peering inside.

Taranee turned to Will and Cornelia. "You don't think he left did you?"

"Good riddance." Corny rubbed her arms again.

Will checked the Heart. "I don't' think so. Look." The Heart was still flashing as it had been since the man's arrival. "He's still here."

"Could he be in one of the stalls?" Hay Lin asked Irma.

"I'm not going in there." She leaned in. "I've heard stories about this place."

"Get down here." Cornelia ordered and the two girls complied.

"So now what?" Hay Lin asked. No sooner had she asked the question when the world around them warped and changed. Before the guardians could react they were pulled from the alley and into another plane of existence. It was dark and the floor was wet. A strange mist filled the air, further hindering their vision of the surrounding area. "What just happened?" Irma, being the first to speak, noticed her voice traveled into the distance like an echo. "Whoa." The same thing happened.

"We must have been transported to some other dimension." Taranee said. She gasped suddenly. "I think that guy has pulled us into a trap."

"Weren't we supposed to do the same to him?" Cornelia asked her.

"Yeah, but he got us first." The fire guardian created a ball of fire to illuminate the place. "Stay close so nobody gets lost."

"Too late." All eyes turned to Hay Lin who was looking off into the distance. "Irma…" she pointed. Indeed their friend had somehow strayed away from the group and was nowhere to be seen.

"Irma!" Will called.

"Dammit!" Cornelia cried. "Where could she have gone?"

"Irma!" Hay Lin called.

"Hay Lin, stay in the light!" Taranee pulled her back though the air guardian seemed ready to take off after her friend. "We won't do her any good if we get lost too."

The remaining guardians huddled around Taranee's fireball and stayed there. All around them was mist and darkness that seemed to go on forever. Will looked to the Heart for answers. "Please, find my friend." She told the Heart and when it did nothing she closed her hands around it and wished even harder. "I'm begging you, take us to my friend. Please find her." the Heart reacted. It shined before directing a beam of light in one direction. "There!" she turned to the others. "Follow me." The guardians followed the beam's direction. It led them to a large, dilapidated building that was missing its ceiling and most of its walls. It seemed to be in the epicenter of the mist as that's where it all gathered. They landed on the steps leading toward the entrance. The Heart's beam disappeared.

"Irma must be inside." The leader said.

Cornelia looked around. "What is this place?" she took up the rear as the group followed Will inside. Only part of the door was still left, though that piece looked as if it hadn't been used for centuries. They walked down an ancient hall that ended in a circular chamber. Inside the chamber was what remained of a fountain with a decaying statue on top. The statue's head was gone but it looked to have been some kind of nobleman with a sword planted firmly on the ground and a broken hand that once held onto something. "Where are we?" Will asked taking in the statue.

"Look!" Hay Lin pointed to something at the bottom of the statue. A lone figure stood with her back to the group. "Is that…"  
'Irma!" Corny said before she could finish.

At the sound of her name, Irma Lair turned around. She seemed as surprised to see the girls as they did her. "There you are! Where the hell did you guys go?"

Hay Lin rushed over and leaped into her arms and dragging her into an embrace. "We thought we lost you." Irma pulled back. "What?"

The others came up behind with Will stepping forward. "You disappeared so we used the Heart of find you and wound up here."

"Why did you wander off?" Corny asked fully flustered.

Irma held up her hands in defense. "Whoa! What are you talking about? You're the ones that wandered off." their looks told her a different story. "I turned around and you guys were gone. I called out to you but nobody answered. So I went looking. I must have been walking for an hour!"

"Impossible!" Taranee exclaimed. "We found you in a matter of minutes! There's no way you've been traveling for that long."

"Look, I may not have a watch with me but I know the difference between a few minutes and a full blown hour." Irma continued. "It was a long time, put it that way. I called and I walked and I flew and I couldn't find anything. Somehow I wound up here and decided to take a look around. I was checking out this statue when you came in."

"Amazing. Could time pass differently here?" Taranee asked while thinking to herself.

"But why did Irma experience something different from the rest of us?" Will asked the brainy guardian. Taranee shrugged. "It could be that she got too far from the group and got separated. She wound up traveling while we used the Heart to find her in this place. Following its trail must have saved us the trouble of wandering through this place for the same period of time she did." She looked into each girl's confused face. "Look I'm just guessing here. Logic is my forte, not smoke and mirrors."

Cornelia sighed. "Can we get out of here? Please?"

"But we still haven't found the guy." Will said.

"Who cares? Let's just beat it. I hate this place."

"_He's_ behind this there's no doubt." Taranee said.

Hay Lin shivered behind Irma. "There's so much dark chi here. It's creeping me out."

"Speaking of creepy," Irma began. "Have you seen this statue?" she turned toward the marbled structure. "Check this out." she led them to the base of the statue where a strange language was carved into the side. "What do you think?"

"Looks Chinese." Hay Lin said.

After closer inspection, Taranee had to disagree. "Actually it more closely resembles Nordic Runes."

"Fascinating." The earth guardian said sarcastically. "Now can we please leave? It's not like you can read them."

"Shh." Irma told her and then in a whisper said, "Not when she's deciphering." The blonde's eyes narrowed.

Taranee checked the runes over before standing up. "Corny's right. I have no idea what it says."

"Told you."

"So…we leave now?" asked the air guardian hopefully.

"Not until we find that guy." Will said sternly.

"Besides," Taranee began. "We still have no idea where we are."

"I do." All eyes turned to Irma. "We're lost."

"Stupid." Cornelia turned away.

"No jokes, Irma. This is serious." Will looked up at the statue. Despite being beheaded she could still feel its eyes upon her and that only made her even more uneasy. "He's watching us."

The girls looked to her. "He's set a trap and we've fallen for it. That means that the only way out is through him." She clenched her fists. "Let's go." Will took flight leading the girls down another hall that interconnected with scores of others. While the building was in ruins, the girls could only guess at the size and splendor it was in its former days. Sheer curiosity would have made them stay to look around some more, but Will was right. They had to get out of here else they remained trapped forever. The lead guardian tried using the Heart for some sense of direction. Yet, there was no beam, no trail to follow; the Heart would not help them this time. It couldn't…

After flying for what seemed like hours the five guardians stopped to take in a breather. "Will, we've been going around in circles. I don't think we're ever going to find this guy." Irma said while resting against a wall.

"My wings are sore." Hay Lin moaned.

"I'm getting sleepy." Cornelia said.

"I am so out of breath." Taranee said.

Will regarded her friends one by one. She could not remember when she had seen them so weak and helpless. The Guardians of the Veil had overcome numerous obstacles in their past battles against Prince Phobos and his minions but something about this place, about their new enemy, was slowly but surely defeating them. They were losing this fight though had yet to fight back and it wouldn't surprise Will if this had been his plan all along. If they didn't do something soon they could very well be trapped here forever. That thought frightened Will more than anything else.

"We can't give up. We're the guardians. We've been in tight situations before."  
"Name one worse than this." Irma dared her.

"Face it, Will." Cornelia slumped to the ground. "We're trapped and we're never going to get out."

"Don't talk like that!" Will told her.

"Why not? It's the truth." Corny hugged her knees. "We're trapped. He's got us."

"Cornelia!" Hay Lin said.

"We're dead!"

"What had gotten into you?" Will forcefully pulled her up soundly surprised by how weak she felt. "Look, I know that guy scared you back at the restaurant. I know you're afraid. But we're all together now and we won't let him hurt you again. You're the Earth Guardian! You have powers he can never possess. Next time you see him you'll let him have it and make him sorry for ever hurting you in the first place." Will raised her chin. "Okay?"

Cornelia stared back at her for a moment. She managed a weak smile. "Thanks, Will."

"Hey!" Hay Lin blurted out. "Will, why don't you use the Heart to form a portal? That way we can just warp out of here."  
"I don't know, Hay Lin." Taranee said. "With the Heart the way it is I wouldn't recommend using its travel feature."

"It's worthy a shot." Will said not wanting to put a damper on the shred of hope she saw light up in Cornelia's eyes at Hay Lin's suggestion. She raised the Heart and tried to create a portal. Nothing happened. Will tried again but the Heart would not comply. "What is wrong with you?" she asked.

Hay Lin sighed. "So much for that idea."

Will wasn't giving up and tried harder. Her friends watched her vain attempts to make a portal and could see the strain on her face. "Work, dammit!"

"Will," Cornelia began.

"Why isn't it working?" Will summoned all her willpower from the deepest reaches of her soul. "It's not going to happen, Will." Corny told her.

"Yes…it…will!" no sooner had she said that when the Heart reacted and shone brighter than they had seen it in weeks. "Yes!" the lead guardian exclaimed. The others were overjoyed as well. That joy, however, was replaced with confusion and fear when the hall they were in lit up. "What's going on?" Hay Lin yelped as she felt herself being pulled away from her friends. Cornelia screamed, Irma cursed and Taranee struggled to come up with an explanation. "NO!" Will cried. "No! Not again!" she yelled at the top of her lungs as she was blinded by the light, her friends vanishing before her eyes.

* * *

She didn't know how long she'd been out, couldn't recall what happened. The first thing Will realized when she regained consciousness was that she was alone. Sitting up, the Keeper of the Heart rubbed her head trying to sort out the random images running around in there. She finally opened her eyes to find that she was in a garden. It was unlike anything Will had ever seen before; the plants and vegetation were alien to her in everyway. It was dark out and the stars were beautiful. The young woman was at a lost for words, could not find her voice, and for a moment could not even remember her name. Slowly the memories returned to her, her mother, Heatherfield, Sheffield Institute, her best friends, Matt, Caleb, Elyon, Meridian, Prince Phobos, the Silver Dragon, the Heart of Kandrakar, the light…

Her eyes shot open. "No!" she cried.

"Guardian." A masculine voice said.

Will jumped to her feet and searched for the voice. "Who said that? Who's there? Where are you?" she asked all at once. She received her answer as a young man in dark clothing stepped out from behind a stone pedestal. His hood was pulled over his head so to hide everything but his mouth which was curled into a smile. "Satisfied?"

"Where am I?" she asked. "And where are my friends?"

"As to your first question you are in the Garden of Splendors, my dear girl. As for the latter…well let's just say you're the lucky one."

A twinge of pain struck her heart. Suddenly she felt tears in her eyes. "What have you done with them?"

"Nothing. I'm here with you and that's all that matters. Oh but how rude of me, I forgot to introduce myself." The man pulled back his hood revealing his shining white eyes and pitch black hair. He was very handsome, about Caleb's age or just a bit older, and had a smile that would have melted most women's hearts. He performed a ceremonial bow and dipped his head. "My name is Soren. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

Will wasn't taken in. "I want to see my friends!" she demanded.

Soren stood back up. "I'm afraid that's not possible. Besides," his eyes lit up even more. "You should worry about yourself now."


	5. Chapter 5

**Author: I know, I know. It's been eight months since I last updated. What the hell have I been doing right? Well the truth is I had stopped writing because I was at a lost as of how to continue. The new season has inspired me again and after that lame ending I felt I needed to do something to make up for it. Sorry for the delay. Let me help you catch up.**

**Chapter One: A mysterious man named Deimos is building up an army to attack Kandrakar and destroy the Oracle. Meanwhile, Phobos has been freed from prison by the Mage who seeks his aid in return for his freedom. (That's where this chapter picks up.)**

**Chapter Two: Yor, a terrible dragon, is raining death on the countryside. He returns to his lair where he is greeted by a robed man who is his partner and a formidable wizard. They know Queen Elyon plans to send the guardians to stop them and are waiting in anticipation. On Earth, a mysterious young man has found the Silver Dragon.**

**Chapter Three: The girls are eating dinner when Will notices that young man looking at her. After Cornelia confronts him (and gets a splitting headache in the process) the man heads to the restroom. The girls decide to investigate him further, as guardians of course. Back in his headquarters, Deimos discovers not one but two spies in his fortress. He orders his guards to capture one and someone more capable to catch the other.**

**Chapter Four: Will and the girls transform and then head outside to spy on the young man. They are transported to another realm where Irma is cut off from the rest of the group. They find her inside a large building as well as a strange statue with a unique writing. Try as they might, they cannot find a way out of this dimension until Will attempts to use the Heart to escape. A bright light blinds them and Will awakens in a garden all by herself. The young man is there waiting for her. His name is Soren and he had plans for Will.**

**And that's the gist of it, folks. Here is chapter five in the Deimos Saga.

* * *

**

Chapter Five

"Here we are." The Mage announced at the completion of the teleportation. Beside her stood Phobos who cradled the book close to his chest. The secrets in this book were the key to his freedom and possibly his return to power. If his plan, which he had been formulating since his release, proved successful then even his sister would be hard-pressed to ignore him. That was the part of the confinement he hated the most. It was the insult of being forgotten. To be cast away as if he had never existed. Nobody in Meridian even spoke of Phobos anymore. The once mighty ruler was now a memory in the hearts of his former subjects. How it pained him to think that he would forever rot in that dungeon to the end of his days while his kingdom-_his_ kingdom!-was governed by a bratty little girl who a few short months ago didn't even know of her heritage.

Wouldn't she be surprised when Phobos returned stronger than ever!

But he must be cautious. Phobos had learned from his past mistakes. He had underestimated the Guardians of the Veil and before he can even consider taking on the queen he would have to contend with them first. The only problem was how? He was still a formidable opponent alone, but together the girls had the power to overcome him. Somehow he had to finish them off, to get them out of the way, and then he would challenge Queen Elyon for the throne. As strong as he was he was still vulnerable. The Mage, that enigmatic wench, was still his keeper. Should he make his move too soon she could easily place him back in that horrible cell and he would be back where he had started. Phobos still had not figured her true purpose for releasing him. By doing so she had committed a serious crime and would be punished should she be found out. Until he knew all the answers he must tread carefully.

"Something troubles you, Prince Phobos?" The Mage asked in that raspy voice of hers. "You seem distracted."

Phobos turned away for fear that his face would give too much away. The Mage had ways of reading people's thoughts just by looking at them. Whether it be magic or some unnatural gift, she was a woman of mysterious talents. "I'm just relieved to be out of that dungeon. It's been so long since my feet have touched something other than cold steel. Spend a few weeks inside one of your cells and see how welcoming the muddiest road will seem to you."

The beginnings of a smirk appeared on the corners of her mouth. "I see. Just don't get too accustomed to that ground just yet. The path we tread is so dangerous that you may very well prefer the confines of my dungeon."

"I've faced danger innumerous times before, Mage. Just remember that it was you who freed me and therefore you are in just as much trouble if we don't succeed as I am." He stepped back so that he could gaze into her face. Being nearly eight feet tall, the Mage was a mountain of a woman. Phobos did not like being looked down on. One of the reasons his former throne was so elevated was so he could look down on others and they would have to look up to him in reverence. How he wished he towered over her right now. "Just take me where I need to go and I will do the rest."

"As you wish." She raised her hand. "Come. We are nearly there."

Wherever "there" was, thought Phobos.

This place was not something Phobos had ever seen before, though he had on occasion heard the tales. It was a subterranean city, once renowned throughout ancient Metamoor for its works in the arts of craft and metals. A stocky people known as the _kazan_ had ruled here over ten thousand years ago but vanished under mysterious circumstances. The treasures hidden within the ruins attracted fortune makers from all over the world though a handful had ever returned with anything of worth…or _whole!_

"I've heard of this place." Phobos said. "Though its true name is unpronounceable to my kind."

"In the common tongue it was known as Gruoch-kabal, ancient dwelling of the kazan. This kingdom was ancient when the humans of Metamoor were mere hunter-gatherers and I was but a servant to the Templar of Kandrakar." The Mage looked upon the ruined city with reverence. "It was magnificent in it's day. No dragon's hoard nor king's treasury could equal the material wealth inside this place. The tunnels stretched so far beneath the earth that it was said the kazan traveled from one part of the world to the next using an elaborate transit system. They brought with them riches from lands which were at the time so distant that humans had no name for them. They also developed trade with the far-flung nations of the world. In a way one could say the kazan had united Metamoor in this fashion."

"Fascinating." Phobos lied. He never liked history lessons. "Now if you can just point me to the gift shop I'd like to purchase some trinkets for my fellow inmates. Cedric always did fancy those snow globes."

"Sarcasm does not suit you, prince."

"I've picked up many bad habits in my dealings with the guardians."

"Really? Did you also learn not to look a gift horse in the mouth?"

"What's your point?"

"My point is that I am trying to help you. It would be _prudent_ of you to show some appreciation."

"My dear Mage, you are simply using me to achieve your own goals. Normally I'd find that a very admirable trait, however as of now I am not the one in control and therefore am not all too comfortable with this arrangement. So if it's all the same to you I think I've earned the right to be a bit cynical especially around someone who's supposedly one of the _'good guys'_." He used air quotes on those two words.

"Another trait you picked up from the guardians?" She asked.

"Ugh!" Phobos grew impatient. "Can we just get on with it?" When the Mage gave him a dangerous stare, the prince sighed and added, "Please?" That took a lot more out of him than he ever imagined it would.

"Very well."

The walk to the main gate turned out to be considerable. Phobos had to struggle not only to keep up with the Mage's long strides but to avoid falling on the jagged rocks that surrounded the outskirts of the city. He was unaccustomed to traversing such hostile terrain. Add to that his legs being confined to a cell for the past few months and the distance between him and his "benefactor" grew quite wide.

"Couldn't you have just teleported us inside?" He asked from far behind.

"There are magic wards in place to keep intruders from entering the city." She explained. "Had I even tried our molecules would have been split apart and we'd have been lucky to reappear as globs of meat."

"So you'd prefer we be shredded meat?" Phobos had cut his ankle at that moment.

"I'd prefer you'd keep quiet. We're almost there."

'Almost there' was ten minutes and once at the front gate the Mage had to wait for Phobos who arrived with so many tears in his cloak that his scratched and bloodied legs were apparent for all to see. Phobos glared at her. She did this on purpose, he thought. The least she could have done was bring them this close without having to navigate that obstacle course. The Mage smiled at him then, confirming that his suspicions may be right.

"Come." She said.

Phobos growled but came into step behind her. The gates to the city were long gone but that made the view of the outer city no less spectacular. All the buildings were carved from right out of the stone. Statues and streets and avenues; everything was so finely made that it blended seamlessly into the rock. The kazan were true masters of their craft. It's a pity they died out long ago, Phobos mused, for they could have proven a great asset in improving the defenses of his castle against those damned rebels.

"About those wards." Phobos began. "They only prevent teleportation?"

"They negate all magic save those the defenders allow. The kazan were very distrustful of the craft, but they did use some magic in the building of their city. They created golems from the rock to use as sentries and could turn the stone floor into quicksand. Without permission from the kazan themselves, any uninvited guests would find their magic worthless in times of battle."

_Now I truly regret their passing. _Phobos thought. _The guardians never would have stood a chance._

They had reached the entrance to the inner city. It turned out to lead into the earth itself. The Mage stopped at a fork in the hallway seemingly to get her bearings.

"Are you lost?" Phobos asked rather annoyed.

"It has been many ages since I walked these halls. Give me a moment."

"Fine. In the meantime I will go sightseeing." Phobos turned away and walked down one path…right into a trap. Spears shot out from the walls, ceiling and floor creating a cobweb of death that prevented further passage. Only his quick reflexes had saved his life. Phobos barely had time to jump back before the spears took a tuff of his hair clean off. He fell to his backside but never let go of the book. Gasping, he looked behind himself to find the Mage laughing.

"Ah, yes. Now I remember." She pointed to the now blocked path. "_That_ leads to the armory. The kazan never wanted anyone getting near there. That means the place we're searching for is this way." She bit back a chuckle as she began to walk in the opposite direction. "Thanks for reminding me, dear prince."

"My pleasure." He said though did not mean a word of it. Dusting himself off, Phobos took one more look at the trap before getting up and following the Mage. _That could have been unpleasant._

They traveled for many more minutes passing numerous mess halls, conference rooms, kitchens, living quarters, and staff rooms before winding their way down a staircase. The torches lit up at their approach. This process continued for a while until finally they had reached the bottom.

"Now what?" Phobos asked as they were now facing a pitch-black hallway.

"Not afraid of the dark, are you?" The Mage teased.

"My dear, I created darkness."

"So you say." She took the lead.

Phobos followed her very closely for while his statement may have been boastful, he was still a human and therefore his eyes were not accustomed to such blackness. He kept the book against his chest both for protection and motivation. The Mage was just a vague image in front of him. "How much father?" He asked.

"Hard to say."

"What do you mean, 'hard to say'?"

"It has been a while."

"Well think, woman!" He spat. "I can't see an inch in front of my nose."

"I would think you, the creator of darkness, would feel right at home here."

"I am sick of your little quips. I have half a mind to turn around and go right back the way I came."

"To your prison?"

"To my throne. With this book I will have the power and knowledge to oust that little girl off her seat and reclaim my kingdom."

"And what makes you think you'll get that far?"

"Watch me!" Phobos turned around. He was hit with such force that he was thrown back. As his body hit the ground, Phobos felt the darkness overtake him. _You tricked me! Damn you! You had this planned out from the start. The book! Where is the book?_

"Are you satisfied?" The Mage asked.

Phobos felt her standing over him. "This is a one-way tunnel. Once you go through you cannot exit the way you came. Just thought you might like to learn the hard way."

"Bitch."

"Such language. And after I found your book for you." Something heavy thumped into Phobos' stomach, crushing the breath out of him. He coughed and fell over to his side. "Now let's go." The Mage brushed past him. Cursing beneath his breath, Phobos grabbed the book and began to walk.

A dim light illuminated their path. It turned out to be a large round opening that took them into a chamber so huge that the ceiling seemed to disappear. "Are we that far down?" Asked Phobos.

"Depends on your point of view." When the prince gave her a bewildered look she went on. "That staircase we used to come here took us through a loop that has turned us upside down." She looked up. "The ceiling is actually the bottom of the chamber and we are now standing on the top."

"Sorcery?"

"Gravity. The kazan were quite good at manipulating it." She said. "This chamber is what they used to travel to other parts of Metamoor. There are portals just like the one we entered all over the underground sphere."

"Are you saying we could travel to anywhere in the world inside this chamber?"

"That and beyond."

Phobos looked around. The vertigo was almost too much for him to handle. Never in his whole life had he felt so tiny and insignificant. Had this power been his he could have extended his reach out countless realms without having to worry about the Veil. Afterall, the Veil was a magical barrier that prevented crossing between worlds. The kazan did not use magic and as such were not subject to those rules.

He noticed the Mage walking up a flight of stairs. "Where are we going?"

"To the center. That is where our quarry lies."

"But it will take hours to traverse this place."

"Days actually." She looked over her shoulder. "Luckily we have other means of getting there."

He found out her meaning when they reached the top. A vast grid extended before them. The grid provided a path throughout the chamber but it was too deep to travel and far too wide to climb down. "So what now? We fly?"

"In a manner of speaking." The Mage approached a stone pedestal where she placed her hand on the top. A white box formed beneath her hand and called forth a metallic apparatus. It was some sort of carriage atop a large pole that fell into the darkness below. The carriage was set up for passengers that would sit in a circle around a smaller construct of the sphere. Apparently, this was how those passengers would control the trolley.

"Climb aboard." The Mage said. She and Phobos got in and sat down. The Mage pressed a small square at the very center of the mini-sphere and they were off.

It's just like flying, Phobos realized. They moved so fast that his white hair was kicked back. Despite their incredible speed, it was a very smooth transition. Phobos barely felt any movement. "Impressive." He said.

The Mage looked at him. "Quite a tour. Wouldn't you say?"

The prince edged forward in his seat. He smiled as he eyed the woman with a sinister gleam. "So," He started.

"So?" She returned.

"Why don't you tell me the real reason you are helping me?"

"Because you don't need to know and because I do not want to tell you."

"But we are partners in crime, my dear. And partners should never keep secrets from one another."

She scowled. "We are not _partners_. I told you that,"

"There were forces at work and you were too busy to deal with them, I know. But should I succeed you will be responsible for providing me with power that rivals that of my sister. Why would you do that?"

She shook her head. "That power you so crave is not easily obtained. One must earn it." She cocked her head to one side. "Have you ever earned anything before, Prince Phobos?"

"Royalty need not earn anything. It is given."

"No wonder Elyon defeated you." Now she leaned forward. "Great power is never given, my prince. It is earned. In order for you to wield this power, you must first gain the right."

"And how do I go about doing that?"

"It will test you and if you succeed you will be as powerful as your sister."

"And if I fail?"

"You die." She said. "It's as simple as that."

"Fair enough. But what do you get out of all this?"

"Time."

"Time for what?"

"To prepare."

"For what?"

"For things to come."

Phobos raised a brow. "You know something's about to happen, don't you?"

"I am the Mage. It is my duty to know."

"And why you need a member of the royal family."

"Yes. I figure you would be easier to convince than Queen Elyon."

"And why is that?"

"Because if she knew she would ruin everything."

"Conspiracy." Phobos relaxed. He extended his arms and laid back his head. "I think I may get to like you, Mage."

"Don't push it."

The trolley pulled to a stop before a domed structure. Prince and Mage got off and went inside. They were at the very heart of the sphere now. Within the dome they discovered several doors in a wide circle. A great fire burned in the epicenter. "Cozy." Phobos commented. "What is this?"

"In here, the kazan kept their greatest secrets. Behind each door lies a test. Past that test and untold power will be yours."

"I never did like tests."

"Somehow that explains a lot." The Mage approached the flame. "Here, Prince Phobos. The Fire will be your judge. Prove yourself worthy and it will reward you."

"Let me guess: fail and it punishes me, am I right?"

She ignored that comment. "Take a lock of you hair and throw it into the Fire. Then proclaim yourself and what it is you seek. The Fire will then open the door which contains the power."

"Let's get this over with." Phobos stood before the Fire and opened up the book. He flipped through the page until he found what he was looking for. The Mage had shown it to him back at her lair. "Here." He raised a finger to his head and with a sharp nail cut off a piece of his hair. He threw it into the Fire which then burst to life. _"PROCLAIM THYSELF."_ Boomed a thunderous voice.

"I am Prince Phobos. Ruler of Meridian and future king of Metamoor. I seek the Blade of Chaos!"

The Fire bellowed, _"PRINCE PHOBOS, SEEKER OF THE BLADE OF CHAOS, YOUR CHALLNGE AWAITS!"_ A small flame leaped out of the Fire and snaked its way over to a door on the far right. It ignited the door leaving nothing but a hole. _"ENTER."_

"Hmph. Seems like everyone is ordering me around these days." He began to walk toward the vacant doorway.

"Leave the book here." The Mage ordered.

He looked at her.

"It would be a shame to lose it in case you prove unsuccessful."

"I am supposed to go just as I am?"

"Do not worry. If you are triumphant than you will have no need of this book."

He looked at the book. It was the only thing that gave him comfort throughout this journey. Now he was supposed to just give it up?

"Prince Phobos." The Mage extended her hand. Phobos reluctantly handed her the book. He then composed himself as best he could knowing full well how ridiculous he must look in his tattered clothing.

"Don't suppose you'd wish me good luck?"

"As if." She smirked. "I too picked up bad habits from the guardians."

"Fine." Phobos entered the door.

Inside he found himself in a tunnel covered with roots, shrubbery and an assortment of crawly things. "Wonderful." He rasped. Phobos followed the tunnel, kicking and squishing anything out of spite, until he reached the end. It was a dark room but for a ring of fire around the corners. Phobos entered the ring and gasped when it encircled the room, trapping him inside. "What is this?"

"_Enter."_ A voice said.

He turned to see a sword ensnared with vines at the far back. Only the hilt protruded from it's imprisonment and that, he concluded, must be the Blade of Chaos. "Was that you just now?" He asked. He suddenly berated himself for it. "Now I've lost my mind. I'm talking to a sword."

"_Better to lose your mind than your soul."_

The prince jumped back. "C…can it be?"

"_I am the Blade of Chaos."_ The sword said.

Phobos was momentarily stunned at the absurdity of it all. He had heard of sentient swords only in legend or had read about them in books. To be suddenly confronted with one was quite rattling to his sensibilities. Such swords had been known to turn on their masters or to steal their very souls while under their service. Is that what the blade meant by its previous comment?

"_Who stands before me?"_

The prince collected his thoughts and his courage before speaking. "I am Prince Phobos of Meridian."

"_Do you seek to wield my power?"_

"Yes." He said without hesitation. "I do."

"_Do you think yourself capable of being my master?"_

"Yes!"

"_Your arrogance may be your undoing."_

Phobos bit his lip. This sword was suddenly beginning to sound like the Mage.

"_It is time to test your fortitude. Step forward, Phobos of Meridian, and prepare to face the greatest challenge of your life."_

"I am ready." Phobos said. He did step forward. The sword hilt looked withered after centuries of being hidden away in this tomb but the aura of power surrounding it was almost daunting to the prince. Its dark energy was incredible, insatiable. Phobos must have it!

"Give me your test." He said. "And I will prove myself worthy."

"_As you wish."_

Phobos reached out to grab the hilt. At first he felt nothing but the hardened surface of an ancient blade. Then his hand began to burn. Try as he might, he could not pull away. The pain was excruciating. He fought it at first but slowly his mouth creaked open and whimpers of agony escape. Those whimpers turned to cries which were then followed by screams. Prince Phobos was yelling at the top of his lungs. The fires around him grew to cover the walls. It was like a living inferno now. The heat stole the oxygen from his lungs and he found it hard to breathe.

The hilt of the sword changed. Roots reached out to grab his hand. They penetrated his flesh and crawled beneath his skin. Phobos' eyes were wide with terror. He tried to swat them but that only caused him more pain. The roots moved on into his body and the feeling of them worming around like parasites terrified him to no end. An eye appeared on the sword then. A vicious, yellow eye that seemed to take glee in his suffering.

Phobos could only scream as the test continued. His cries were only overshadowed by the blade's maniacal laughter.

* * *

The Mage had waited patiently for an hour. She began to wonder if Phobos had survived the ordeal though all the signs showed that he had not. The room he had entered was dark and silent. If only she knew his fate, then at least she could get some closure. 

It wasn't for his well-being that worried him but rather the setback this would prove to her plans. With Phobos gone, she would have start from square one. Too bad, she thought. He could have been useful.

After waiting a little longer the woman grew impatient. It had been two hours now since Phobos had entered and she had no doubt he did not survive. She sighed. "Such a waste." With that, the Mage headed for the exit.

Then the Fire reacted. It burst into a brilliant flame before the voice spoke. _"THE TEST IS COMPLETE! HE HAS FOUND WHAT HE SEEKS!"_

"Impossible." The Mage turned to the door Phobos had gone through. Something was coming out. A smoldering form entered the domed room. The body was hissing and crackling from numerous burns and the scent had even the Mage covering her nose. _"COME FORWARD, PRINCE PHOBOS. WIELDER OF THE BLADE OF CHAOS!"_

"You…you did it!" The Mage exclaimed.

The burning flesh began to heal and soon a nude but very much revitalized man stood before her. Phobos had changed. He looked bigger and stronger, not to mention better toned. His hair was short now, cropped around his head and his left breast bore a mark. It flashed with raging heat; a sword through a demonic eye.

"Prince Phobos,"

"No." He said. His voice was deeper and more menacing. He looked up at the Mage. His eyes were no longer green but yellow. "It's King Phobos now for soon I will rule all of Metamoor. Then let the universe howl in despair for once I am through with this realm I will spread my hands to encompass all the kingdoms." He smiled. "Then, will I become…GOD."

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**Author: And so it continues…**


	6. Chapter 6

**Author: The main focus of this chapter is the wizard from chapter two. Not much is revealed about him because I want to keep him a mystery. Suffice it to say he'll be a dangerous adversary for our five little heroines.

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**

The old wizard appeared in his private quarters. He had done some traveling after leaving Yor's lair and was all too pleased to be back home.

And what a home it was! It was lavishly decorated with the finest rugs, most polished furniture, marbled walls and a floor shined to create the illusion of walking on water. The room would give Queen Elyon's royal bedchambers a taste for humility and any monarch, living or dead, would give anything to have an abode such as this.

But the wizard was anything but lavish. His tattered robes resembled more of a beggar's than a blueblood's. Hints of its heydays were evident in the once splendid designs but the sheen was long gone and the texture had lost its softness. His staff was made from ancient wood, powerful but uninspiring. It appeared to be the only thing keeping him upright as he made his way toward the far end of the room.

A little demon was waiting there for him.

"Welcome home, my master." He squeaked.

"Greetings, Zeetch." The wizard said. "I trust everything's been quiet since I left?"

"As quiet as a tomb." The winged demon replied. It was a hideous thing. A tiny, reptilian body painted a muddy red. Its bat-like wings were large enough to encompass his entire self. Behind him snaked not one, not two, but three separate tails that made a hissing sound every time he moved them. His snout resembles a dog's muzzle complete with two flaring nostrils at the end. The arms and legs were thin but powerful, able to tear the face off a grown man in an instant. The head looked as if it had been pressed in by a great weight, two large black eyes protruding from a flattened surface with a crown of black horns at the back. This was Zeetch, servant, messenger, assassin and an all around despicable example of existence. "And I've seen enough of those to last me a lifetime."

The wizard was taken aback by his remark. Zeetch was centuries old. Most demons were. Their lifetime dwarfed the most long-lived wizards and those were men that lived to a thousand. Spending so much time with mortals had the little demon adopting many of their speaking habits and that includes their phrases. For Zeetch, his lifetime probably went back to the beginning of time and possibly before that. It's strange, but at that moment, the mighty wizard felt so insignificant to his demonic ally.

But only a moment.

"Has our benefactor sent word?" He asked abruptly.

Zeetch shook his horned head. "No, my lord. No word yet on your proposal though knowing full well the difficulties of traversing the hazardous portals that surround his domain I wouldn't expect to hear from him anytime soon." He looked up at his master. "And what of the dragon?"

"He's…sleeping."

"Dragons, bah!" Zeetch grumbled.

The wizard headed for his couch. "The queen of Meridian is sending the Guardians of the Veil to stop him." He sat down. "When they arrive a great battle will ensue and when it is over either Yor or the girls will be dead."

Zeetch flew over to a pedestal near the couch. "From what you say it sounds as if the guardians will kill dear old Yor."

"The dragon is overconfident. If he is to stand a chance against those warriors he must take them seriously."

"They are strong." Zeetch admitted. "But not undefeatable. I have seen many a guardian die in battle before. Power over the elements, a great gift indeed; but in the end they are still human. Weak and fragile. More pathetic creatures have never existed."

"Take care your words, dear Zeetch." The wizard removed his cowl. "For I _am_ human."

The demon clicked his tongue. "Forgive my words. I did not mean,"

"I know exactly what you meant." He cut him off. "And while I do not take kindly to your tone I am forced to agree with you. Ever since I was young I have despised my human form. Its limitations are so apparent. Its flaws many. How I hate this body!" He held up a wrinkled hand. "Time ravages it like a lighthouse in a storm. If only I could shed this shell and become something greater. Then at least my life will have meaning."

Zeetch shook his head. He was ranting again.

"You have no idea how small it feels to be human, Zeetch. Try as we might, there is only so much we can do with our limited abilities. Magic was my only outlet for my frustrations and when I became too powerful for my teachers to comprehend I left. I explored the world, but then I had traveled so far that even as my magic grew my reason for wielding it began to fade." He clenched a fist. "Until now."

"Yes, my lord." The demon said though it truth he had grown tired of all these rants.

"Yes." He said. "Now I have the chance to become something more than human. To achieve something that my kind has dreamed of for centuries but has been unable to obtain. The epitome of our wretched existence. Imm…"

"Immortality." Zeetch muttered along with him. He had heard this so often that he knew it all by heart. Not that he had one, mind you.

The wizard touched his worn face. He had not looked in a mirror for a long time and for good reason. His problem was not simply aging but something far worse. A punishment for a crime long ago committed. It was the very reason he covered himself so. No one other than Zeetch had seen his true form. Anyone else would have simply died from the grotesque sight of him.

Ironically, the demon considered him quite handsome.

"Ah!" He slammed the arm of his chair hard. "This is taking too long! The torture of living like this is unbearable!"

"You'll survive." So dramatic, Zeetch thought. "You've managed this long."

"Silence!" He hunched over, head in his arms. "I cannot wait much longer. This has to end. I must be free of this curse."

"There, there." Zeetch said though with no emotion. He simply rolled his dark eyes and looked over at the fireplace. Oh, how it reminded him of home. He wondered what mom was doing right now.

A strange whine filled the air at the moment.

"Intruders!" Zeetch cried and flew off.

The wizard pulled his cowl back on and stood up. "Who dares?" The staff lifted magically into his hand and he stormed over to the center of his gorgeous room. The floor opened up and a contraption rose from the bottom. A vine-shaped pillar with an orb entangled at the top glimmered with activity. Both wizard and demon recognized this as signs that someone had just penetrated their facility. But how?

"Intruders!" Zeetch said again while buzzing about the air above the wizard like an overgrown fly.

"Be quiet!" He ordered and waved his hand above the orb. A picture took shape, one that had the wizard questioning why the hell he had bothered to put up magical wards in the first place. "This cannot be!"

"What?" Zeetch flew down low enough to see the image. "Huh?"

"Guardians in my dwelling? How?"

The orb showed four young girls slowly coming to. They were disoriented and seemingly tired but otherwise unharmed. Normally this was no cause for alarm except that they somehow penetrated his defenses and that they had wings on their backs!

"How did they get in here?"

"Bad wards." Zeetch said.

The wizard batted his hand toward Zeetch but the demon had flown out of range.

"Curse it! I cannot let this slide. I must deal with them myself."

"Fun, yes?" Zeetch asked all too happy all of a sudden.

The wizard looked at the orb. "Yes, my friend. Fun."

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**A/N: Sorry this chapter is so short. I wanted to update this story before I left for China. Many people seem to really like it so I thought I'd give them something before I go. I got the character Zeetch from a wicked little demon named Druzil. He's a wizard's familiar in the novel series, "The Cleric Quintet" by R.A. Salvatore. I just loved the little guy and thought, why not throw in an untrustworthy devil to make things interesting? He's a lot of fun to write with.**

**So here's to the future of this wonderful story! Until I return…thank you.**


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